


Because I've always been a man tryna find where I belong

by Drhair76



Series: You make me feel better, I don’t know what that means, but it's something to me [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Coming Out, Gen, Good Friend Robin Buckley, Pining, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Soulmates, Pre-Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Robin is actually the greatest in the world, STEVE PLS, Self-Worth Issues, Steve Harrington Deserves Love, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, Steve Harrington is lowkey obsessed with soulmates, Steve Harrington-centric, Steve is in denial, Wingman Robin Buckley, YOU DESERVE HAPPINESS TOO, dont worry about it tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-11 17:56:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20157709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drhair76/pseuds/Drhair76
Summary: "She- she wouldnt be!" He protested. "She's with Jonathan.""Hm." Robin's voice was calm. "But maybe-""No!" Steve sounded half hysterical. So deep in denial that it almost wasn't sane. "She's with Jonathan. And Jonathan is with her. And they are happy together."





	Because I've always been a man tryna find where I belong

**Author's Note:**

> (dont worry, I'll address the platonic soulmate theory later :p)

After they left Steve collapsed down at a table. Robin, bless her beautiful heart, immediately moved to lock the place up without even saying a word. 

Sometimes Steve wondered about soulmates. 

He should ask Robin about it sometime. But now, seeing the Robin's jaw worked and the angry squint of her eyes, Steve could tell she had other things on her mind. 

She sits down across from him and is silent for a while. She's obviously trying to pick her words carefully and that reminds him so much of something that Nancy or Jonathan would do that it hurts.

"Say it." He says. Not unkindly. Just blunt. There is no treading eggshells between the two of them, there never has been. 

Robin looks grateful and nods. "Okay. First, Nancy is not_ that _hot."

Steve chuckled, he couldn't help it, Robin just had this way of breaking tension that Steve didn't even know was there. Robin smirked, the angry lines around her mouth disappearing. 

"Okay," Steve nodded. "That's one." 

"And two," Robin's smirk softened into a half grimace, half smile. "I don't know how to feel about them." 

Steve didn't speak, knowing she had more to say. 

"They offer to take you to get ice cream at _your _job-"

"Which they didn't know I had." Steve nodded, which confused him, he was _sure _he'd mentioned it in passing. 

"Right. And _then _they use you for the movies?" Robin huffed. She sounded more confused than angry. "It makes no sense. Especially if they didn't know you worked here. If they didn't know that then how would they know about the movies?" 

Steve nodded. That made sense. Steve _knew _Nancy. She wouldn't. And he may not have know Jonathan that well but he was sure that he wouldn't do that either. 

It was a gut feeling. A sort of push pull that made him want to simultaneously soak up any information about Jonathan that he could and also want to be as far from him- _them- _as possible. 

_They deserved to be happy. And they couldn't do that if Steve was in their way, crowding their space. _

Robin shrugged jerkily, seemingly coming to a conclusion. "Or maybe they actually wanted you to go to the movies with them." 

Steve frowned. "Why?" 

Robin raised a brow and shifted forward, her eyes narrowing in mock confusion. "Yeah, I don't know. Who knows why they'd want to hang with a dingus like you?" 

Her voice was warm and contrasted pleasantly with her words. Steve laughed and rolled his eyes. 

"Who would want to hang with a geek like you?" He smiled, nudging her with his foot under the table. 

Robin's grin grew and she nudged him back. "I take that as a compliment. I am a _proud _band geek and you know this." 

"Ah, yeah, unfortunately." Steve's voice was fond and Robin's smile was bright. 

...

"How do you feel about them?"

It was later, at Steve's house. 

The sun had gone down leaving a warm summer night; the kind of nights that Steve loved. They were at Steve's, hanging by the pool. The lights were on, casting a peaceful reflection on the still water. 

Steve wanted to go stargazing, like full on, in a field looking up at the sky on blankets stargazing but Robin reminded him about the demogorgons and gas money. 

They had been sitting in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company when she asked.

"Who?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the sky. 

He heard Robin shift and peeled his gaze away from the sky. She was turned to face him head on, a furrow in her brows, a confused frown on her face. The light hit her just right, bringing out her freckles and Steve smiled.

"Nancy and Jonathan." 

Steve hummed and tipped his head back towards the sky. He wanted to close his eyes but the sky was so clear. 

When else would he get this view?

"I don't know." Steve racked his brain because he knew that wouldn't satisfy her. Earlier he was too keyed up and emotional to think about _why _he was feeling the way he was feeling_. _It was all a jumble and he couldn'tprocess it. 

_"Emotions are your thing Steve." Robin huffed. "You like, know people and shit. It's kinda scary." _

_"Yeah maybe." He replied, sipping at his beer. "But I'm shit at actual thinking." _

_Robin laughed. "That's okay, you like to fall in love with people who think. You'll be fine. Just keep picking up the emotional slack." _

"I mean, obviously I still love Nancy. I can't not." Steve sighed. "And I miss her. I miss being _friends _with her. Maybe she misses me too and that's why she asked." 

"Huh. Maybe." 

"Why? What do you think?" 

Steve knew that Robin wasn't the type of person to bring something up and let it sit. She also wasn't the type of person to leave something unsolved- she was sort of like Nancy in that sense. 

"I don't know. I was looking at the way Nancy was looking at you and she seemed-" Robin paused. "-Weird." 

Steve stayed quiet but mentally he replayed their earlier interaction. 

The way Nancy frowned when him and Robin started messing around, the way her lips pursed when Robin mentioned his favorite cake flavor, the way she looked at him with soft doe eyes when he gave Jonathan that ice cream sample. 

"Yeah," He said slowly. "Weird. I guess I- Maybe we're not as cool as I thought." 

He peeked back over to see Robin frowning intently. "No, I don't think that's it. She seemed- it was almost like she was jealous or something."

Steve sat up immediately, his eyes wide. Robin's lips were twisted and he could almost _see _her cogs turning. 

"She- she wouldnt be!" He protested. "She's with Jonathan." 

"Hm." Robin's voice was calm. "But maybe-" 

"No!" Steve sounded half hysterical. So deep in denial that it almost wasn't sane. "She's with _Jonathan. _And Jonathan is with her. And they are happy together." 

Robin tsked like she wanted to argue but she nodded. "Yeah, okay Harrington, but that doesn't explain Jonathan." 

And _that _gave Steve pause. 

Because it was true. That _didn't _explain Jonathan. 

The way he flushed when Steve joked about the ice cream date, the way he frantically blurted out an offer to the movies, the way he slumped when Steve thought they wanted free movies. 

Thinking back, Steve wished he had payed more attention to Jonathan. His hand was curled steadily in Nancy's and he didn't say much but Jonathan had very expressive eyes. 

They were also really beautiful if Steve thought about it. 

They were hazel, which was already a beautiful color by itself, but in the sun they got even lighter and deeper. If Steve searched his memory hard enough, he could remember little green flecks that enchanted him. 

His stomach swooped. 

Maybe he should stop thinking about it. 

But-

His eyes also got darker when he was angry. Partially because he would squint and in Steve's memory, as Jonathan advanced with his fist rising to sock Steve in the jaw, the punch didn't hurt, it made him dizzy. 

It nearly knocked him out with need.

_Shit. _

He _really _should stop thinking about it. 

"Robin-" Steve asked, his voice shaky. 

She frowned and leaned forward, serious. Steve loved that about her. That she could pick up on his feelings and flow with them when he needed her to. 

And Steve didn't know whether that extended to all people or just Steve in particular but either way-

He wasn't the only one with emotional prowess. 

"I think- I think I likeJonathan." Then, at Robin's blank look, he elaborated. "Like, I _like _like him."

Robin made a face, thoughtful and curious. It was all furrowed brows and twisted lips. She tilted her head and the light hit her again, illuminating her face. Somehow it managed to make her look both pale and rosy cheeked at the same time. 

Steve continued because her silence was making him antsy. "And- and I was serious when I said I want them to be happy. But I can't help think about-" 

He cut himself off. 

But Robin's eyes were wide. "Oh my God. _Steve. _You want to date them!"

Steve frowned, ran a hand through his hair, shifted and frowned some more. "What?"

"You want to date Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers!" She said again, louder this time. And Steve figured the goddamn _stars_ could hear her. "You're a stupid idiot!" 

Steve blinked. "Uh. When did we get to that conclusion?" 

Robin waved him off and stood, practically vibrating with- excitement? Anticipation? Steve didn't know. 

"Since _forever _ago." She exclaimed, throwing her hands out. She turned back around before spinning back and grabbing Steve's arms. He yelped as he was yanked out of his seat. 

She stepped close, crowding his space, pressing her face so close to his that he could smell her minty breath. 

"Do you want to _date _them?" 

Steve blinked as Robin's hands on his shoulders tightened. 

He blinked. 

Did he want to date Nancy and Jonathan? 

Did he want to surprise Nancy by wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and throw a strong arm around Jonathan's shoulders before yanking them both in for a kiss? Did he want to cook dinner for the two of them, real romantic and proper with candles _and _music? Did he want to _be _there for Jonathan and help with Will? Did he want to curl around Nancy when she got too lost in her thoughts and make her feel better?

Did he want them?

The answer was simple. 

"_Yes." _He sighed, almost melting into Robin. "I do. God, I _do." _

Robin blinked. "Wow." 

Steve expected more, but she simply released her grip on his arms. She gently nudged him to his chair and followed him, allowing him to curl his arms around her as they settled in comfortably. 

Robin nestled her head in the crook of Steve's neck and he breathed in her citrus shampoo. 

Steve wanted to ask now, _what do you think about soulmates, _because it seemed like Robin could read his deepest emotions and knew exactly what he needed even before he did. 

She was his best friend and he thanked the stars for her. He relaxed, tilted his head back up to the sky and letting his eyes close. 

The day had been long and now, finally, he was steady.

"I want _you _happy Steve." Robin whispered after letting some time go by. "You know that you deserve that right?" 

Steve didn't answer, his breathing deep, the tension in his body gone and the stars shining soft light down on his face from above. 

**Author's Note:**

> :( sTEVE, LET YOURSELF BE HAPPY PLS! YOU DESERVE IT! 
> 
> I'll definitely be back cause it's not over yet. bUT, in the meantime, I made a tumblr blog where I talk about Stoncy! It's starharrington76 and there are headcanons, deleted fics, playlists and me rambling about these stories. 
> 
> Give it a follow if you're interested! :)
> 
> Also, if you don't want to follow (which, valid) here is the playlist I listen to when I write these:  
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kG577NlxVGksZXbUYflN4?si=iyV99ztZT_m4JSHYPyF5nQ


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